New Book
This nostalgic, fully-illustrated history of boy bands — written by culture critic and boy band stan Maria Sherman — is a must-have for diehard fans of the genre and beyond. Larger Than Life begins with a brief history of male vocal groups, spotlighting The Beatles, the Jackson 5, and Menudo before diving into the building blocks of these beloved acts in “Boy Bands 101.” She also focuses on artists like New Edition, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, One Direction, and BTS before ending with an interrogation into the future of boy bands. Included throughout are Tiger Beat-inspired illustrations, capsule histories of the swoon-iest groups, in-depth investigations into one-hit wonders, and sidebars dedicated to conspiracy theories, dating, in-fighting, haters, fan fiction, fashion (Justin and Britney in denim, of course), and so much more. Informative, affectionate, funny, and never, ever fan-shaming, Larger Than Life is the first and only text of its kind: the ultimate celebration of boy bands and proof that this once maligned music can never go unappreciated.
About the Author:
Maria Sherman is a music writer and culture critic currently living in Brooklyn, New York. She has worked as a senior writer at Jezebel, managing editor at Gizmodo Media Group, senior correspondent at Fuse TV, and contributor at BuzzFeed Music. You may have seen her work at NPR and in Billboard, SPIN, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and many other quality publications. If she were in a boy band, she’d be the bad boy. Also, Harry Styles ruined her life.
Maria Sherman talks about her book “Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS”
“Larger Than Life is a fun read, a bright large-format paperback generously illustrated by Alex Fine. Whether it’s a nostalgia trip or a list of your current favorite artists, it’s a no-brainer gift for any boy band fan in your life.” — The Current
“Larger Than Life does not only serve as a meaningful piece of pop music criticism, but it strives to be a celebration of a fandom that was built from the love of young women despite boy band fandom being written off as a hormonal mob letting out guttural screams for mediocre singers.” — AIPT Comics
